HORSE RACING

Kentucky Derby update | Field taking shape

Jonathan Lintner

@JonathanLintner

Hoppertunity (#5) winning the Rebel over favored Tapiture (#3), with Ride On Curlin (#2) another half-legnth back in third.

Good morning from Churchill Downs, where no works were scheduled for Kentucky Derby contenders Tuesday but a number of contenders for both races galloped over a fast track, including Ride On Curlin, Medal Count, Hoppertunity, Commanding Curve and Danza.

--Tuesday also means the arrival of trainer Todd Pletcher's contingent from Florida. Pletcher's Intense Holiday and We Miss Artie, as well as Jose Garoffalo's Wildcat Red, will arrive on a shipment form Palm Beach. Also, Pletcher will ship horses such as In Tune (Kentucky Oaks) and last year's Belmont Stakes winner, Palace Malice (race TBD).

--Trainer Bob Baffert is expected to make his way to Churchill Downs later Tuesday. On Monday, he moved Chitu to Saturday's Derby Trial and also pulled Awesome Baby, fourth in Road to the Oaks standings, from contention in that race. Baffert's other Derby contender, Hoppertunity, arrived at the track Monday.

--All horses in the top 20 of the Derby standings are listed by Churchill Downs as confirmed to run other than Chitu, trainer Graham Motion's Ring Weekend and Mike Maker's Harry's Holiday. Any other defections -- and there have been plenty so far, notably with Cairo Prince dropping due to injury over the weekend -- would open spots for Commanding Curve, Pablo Del Monte and Bayern, in that order.

--Will Take Charge trainer D. Wayne Lukas said the Three Year Old Champion will race in the Grade II Alysheba on Oaks Day. The other top contender listed as likely for the race is Golden Ticket, while Normandy Invasion is possible.

--Euphrosyne, after working breezing five furlongs in 1:02.20 on Monday, will bypass the Oaks, opening slot No. 14 for Sweet Reason, according to Churchill Downs. Sweet Reason won last year's Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Saratgoa but has since then only claimed a victory in an allowance optional claimer at Aqueduct in March. Should any other qualified entrants drop out, Thank You Marylou is 15th.

--Check out Monday's Derby news and notes from The Courier-Journal here: courier-journal.com/sports/horses.

Jonathan Lintner can be reached at (502) 582-4199; follow him on Twitter @JonathanLintner.